Soap dispensing back scrubbing brush



April 25, 1950 F. H. ELLINGER 2505,61@

soAP DISPENSING BACK SCRUBBING BRUSH Filed June 7, 1946 INVENTOR. 3-6014 y.

Patente Apr. 25, 1950 .i ITE STATES PATENT OFFICE Flora H. Ellinger, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application .lune 7, 1946, Serial No. 675,132

4 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to improvements in brushes, and relates more particularly to improvements in the construction and operation of back scrubbing brushes.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful improved brush which is simple in construction and highly eilcient in use, and which is especially adapted for scrubbing the back of a bather.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide an improved back scrubbing brush which is highly :flexible and readily manipulatable for effective cleansing.

Another specic object of my invention is to provide an improved double-handled brush which may be conveniently gripped and manipulated to thoroughly scrub the users back while bathing, and which is moreover free of protruding parts likely to scratch or otherwise mar the users skin.

Another specic object of the present inven tion is to provide an improved sanitary back scrubbing brush which is adapted to roll over and gently knead the skin of the user during opera` tion thereof.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved back scrubbing brush which may be quickly and conveniently provided with a novel and efficient soap supplying instrumentality.

An additional specific object of this invention is to provide an improved back scrubbing brush in which a uniform amount of wear is given during use to all of the bristles, and which may be readily provided with a removable and replaceable supply of soap adapted to be evenly distributed over the skin area being scrubbed during use of the brush.

A further specic object of my invention is to provide an improved back scrubbing brush adapted to receive a novel soap carrying and distributing strip which may be readily merchandised for replacement at low cost.

Still another specic object of my present invention is to provide an improved sanitary back scrubbing brush which is sturdy in construction, and which may be readily manufactured of relatively few standard and available materials at moderate cost.

These and other speciiic objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description,

A clear conception of the several features constituting my present improvement, and of the mode of constructing and of utilizing brush assemblages built in accordance with my invention, may be had by referred to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specication wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved brush assemblage;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section through the brush, taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similarly enlarged longitudinal section through the brush;

Fig. 4 is a similarly enlarged end view of the brush;

Fig. 5 is a similarly enlarged plan view of a soap carrier especially adapted for use with the improved brush, a portion of the wall being broken away to reveal the contents thereof; and

Fig. 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of a modified brush assemblage.

While the invention has been shown and described herein as being applied to a brush assemblage especially adapted for back scrubbing and cleansing purposes, it is not my desire or intention to thereby unnecessarily restrict the scope or utility of the improvement.

Referring to the drawing, the improved brush assemblage comprises, in general, an elongated cylindrical brush IQ consisting of a tubular carrier II having a multiplicity of outwardly projecting bristles I2 formed thereon in a helical series, the carrier II being provided with a central axial opening I 3 therethrough; a relatively flexible tube M extending through the central opening I3 of the carrier II, the opposite ends of the tube I4 projecting a substantial distance beyond the ends of the carrier and being bent to an approximate U-shape to provide arms I5; and a gripping handle IS secured in any suitable man* ner to the free end of each arm I5. The bristles I2 may be attached to the carrier ll in any known manner, as by water resistant adhesives or rubber cement, and one or more series or helical rows of bristles may be provided as desired. The tubing I4 should be relatively flexible for easy adjustment, and with the carrier Il rotatably supported on a medial portion of the tube i4, the projecting ends of this tube may be readily bent without special tools to form the arms I5. if it is desired to positively limit axial movement of the carrier il on the tube I4, stops may be provided at the desired points on tube, and these limit stops may consist merely of beads of solder, weld deposits, or annular shoulders xed to the tube I4.

To furnish soap to the cleansing areaduring use of the brush, an elongated exible tube or jacket Il of porous material such as cheese-cloth closed at the ends by stitching i8 or the like and housing a su-pply of soap chips or ilakes I9 is provided. The soap-containing tube I1 may be conveniently secured to the carrier il by means of spring clips 2l), as shown, or in any other suitable manner, and is wound helically about the carrier body in the channel formed between the bristles l2. Obviously, the brush le may be used either with or without the soap-containing tube I1 which may be readily applied by first clamping one end to the carrier Ii by means of one of the spring clips 20, then winding the tube l1 around the carrier H between the bristles l2, and finally clamping the other end to the carrier Il by means of the other spring clip 2d, and which may likewise be quickly removed by following the reverse procedure. The soap containers H may be manufactured in large quantities and sold at low cost, and the exhausted containers may therefore be discarded and replaced.

After assembly and during normal use oi the improved brush, the user may grip the handles I in the most convenient and natural manner preparatory to use for back-scrubbing purposes; and because of the relative flexibility of the tube lil forming the arms I5, the device will more or less adjust itself automatically to the most desirable formation suitable for its intended purpose during the back-scrubbing operation. The brush may be operated from any one oi several positions, the most common being as foliows: from an approximately vertical position with the handles held above the bathers shoulders and pointed downwardly and somewhat rearwardly; from an approximately horizontal position with the arms l5 bowed and with the handles iii held in front of the bathers body and pointed either upwardly or downwardly in the most natural manner; from an approximately horizontal position with the arms i5 extended approximately in an axial direction with respect to the brush and with the handles held laterally of the bathers body; or from an approximately vertical position with the handles in a lowermost position and pointed upwardly and somewhat rearwardly. As the brush lil is moved over the Wet back of the user, the water and agitation causes the soap i9 in the porous jacket Il' tc lather and effectively cleanse, by the combined action of the soap and brush., the users back. During this movement of the brsuh over the bathers back, the carrier ll also revolves to some extent, thereby gently massaging the back of the bather during cleansing thereof and causing uniform wear on substantially all of the bristles i2.

From the foregoing detailed description, it is apparent that my present invention provides an improved back scrubbing brush which is simple and durable in construction, and which is more- Y over highly elcient and iiexible in actual use.

The improved brush assemblage is composed of relatively few parts which are of standard and available stock; and in addition to being readily and conveniently manipulatable from various positions, the assemblage is neat and compact in appearance. The assemblage may obviously be manufactured of various suitable materials, and is sanitary and free of protruding parts which would be likely to mar the users skin. rEhe device may be assembled by a novice and may consequently be merchandised either in assembled or dismantled condition, and the soap containing units may be readily replaced at low cost as the soap supply is exhausted therefrom. By virtue of the rotating action of the brush in operation, the bathers skin is given a highly desirable and pleasant treatment during cleansing and the bristles are subjected to minimum and uniform wear.

While the improved brush assemblage has been specically shown and described herein as comprising a back scrubbing brush having a multiplicity of bristles secured to the carrying member in a helical series and with the soap containing tube wound helically about the carrier between the bristles, the brush may obviously be utilized for other than back-scrubbing purposes, and the bristles may be secured to the carrier in any manner so as to provide intervening channels for renewable insertion and attachment of the soap carrying strips.

A particularly desirable `feature of the improved device is the exibility of the arms which permit almost universal adjustment of the assemblage to suit the convenience of the individual user; and in Fig. 6 I have shown a somewhat modified structure wherein the handles are omitted with the arms l5 bent to form a substantially elliptical gripping member. In this modied assemblage, the arms are preferably held together at the ends thereof by means of a clamp 2l which may be readily removed if desired; and in actual use, the arms l5 surround the bathers body and the brush may be manipulated by gripping the arms i5 at any convenient point.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction, or to the precise mode of use, herein shown and described, for various modications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art to which this invention pertains.

I claim:

l. A back scrubbing brush assemblage comprising, an elongated carrier having outwardly projecting bristles formed thereon in a helical series, said carrier having a longitudinal opening therethrough, a member extending through the opening of said carrier and projecting beyond the ends thereof to form arms, gripping means at end of arm, and a soap containing member wound helically about and secured to the carrier between said bristles.

2. A back scrubbing brush assemblage comprising, an elongated carrier having outwardly projecting bristles formed thereon in a helical series, said carrier having a longitudinal opening therethrough, a member extending through the opening of said carrier and projecting beyond the ends thereof to form arms, gripping means at the end of each arm, a soap containing member wound helically about the carrier between said bristles, and means cooperating with said soap containing member and with said carrier for retaining said soap containing member in position on said carrier.

3. A back scrubbing brush assemblage comprising, an elongated carrier having outwardly projecting bristles formed thereon in a helical series, an arm extending from each end of said carrier, gripping means at the free end of each of said arms, and a soap containing member wound helically about and detachably secured to .the carrier between said bristles.

4. A back scrubbing brush assemblage comprising, an elongated carrier having outwardly 5 6 projecting bristles formed thereon in a helical REFERENCES CITED serles, an arm extending from each end of said The following references are of record in the carrier, gripping means at the free end of each me of this partent: of said arms, a soap containing member Wound heiically about the carrier between said bristles, 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS and means cooperating with said soap containing Number Name Date member and with said carrier for retaining said 718 594 Bailey Jan. 20, 1903 soap containing member in position on said 1,741,962 Theodoropulos Dec. 31, 1929 carrier. 2,305,982 Morando s Dec. 22, 1942 FLORA H. ELLINGER. l0 2,318,680 Ellnger May 11, 1943 

